Music theory

[fishoils]

DS plays the trumpet and has just passed his Grade 1 exam. He learns with the music service in our borough. Today the music teacher at school who I've not met before came and asked me if DS would like to do music theory after school and that he'd then take his Grade 1 theory exam at the end of it.

DS is mildly interested but I don't think he knows what theory actually is going to be. I'm not sure he'll be so keen once it gets started.

Is it worth doing this exam? I've looked at the syllabus and I can see that it would help his trumpet playing probably. But wonder whether he should wait until later on and do Grade 5 when he has to ...

I think it really depends.

I doubt early theory grades have much value per se (most students only seem to bother with grade 5). OTOH, there are some positives to studying theory.

Where we live, theory is obligatory in municipal music schools and conservatoires, and I know students who really enjoy it. Depending on how it is taught, I think that it could be helpful with the aural and possibly the sight-reading element of practical exams. Finally, if your son ever wants to play another instrument which uses a different clef, having done some theory will be useful.

OTOH it does seem that bright students can catch up with theory fairly easily (although I do think there's a risk that learning is superficial and quickly forgotten by students who just want to tick their grade 5 so they can take higher instrument grades, I know this was the case for me many years ago!).

I started both of my girls on theory at age 6/7. I could see that the older one was going to need Grade 5 before long (she'll do it next term, when she will be 10) and for the younger one, it's supporting her learning, reading (cello and recorder, so two different clefs) and understanding of rhythm. There's no need to take any exams before Grade 5, but it's worth studying all the same.

Thank you for your thoughts on this. DS really wants to learn to play the drums. I've told him that he has to wait until he's carried on with trumpet for a bit longer. I don't know how we're going to afford both ...

But from what you have said the theory might be useful for drums later. He still seems keenish to do the theory and its just for 10 weeks on a Monday. So we'll try it and see.

Thank you.

I think it would be useful for drums as it will give him a good grounding in time signatures among other things.

DD did a weekly theory class last year and quite enjoyed it. If she gets a conservatoire place she will have to do at least one more year.

Theory is not quite as 'dry' and difficult as you might at first suspect. But it is also useful to have good maths skills.

What sort of music does he like/listen to? For drums, the LISTENING is particularly important as you need to be sympathetic to everything other people are playing.

I played semi-pro drums for forty years; pubs, clubs, dances, folk, country-rock, pantomime, stage musicals, barn dance bands, big bands; but what I really wanted was Jazz, but didn't get good enough!

As a TA, for ten years, I taught recorder, Keyboard, and coached Yr2 on percussion to accompany the Christmas production each year.

Does he also have access to a Keyboard, as you can learn a lot that way; many have assorted 'drum kits' and you can program rhythms and 'backings' etc.